Ohio panel to weigh tweaks to midterm budget bill

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- An Ohio legislative panel is set to consider more changes to a midterm budget bill that is on track for a House vote this week.

The House Finance and Appropriations Committee amended the sweeping proposal Monday to clarify that college athletes are not considered employees under state law.

The move comes after a decision last month by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board involving the Northwestern University football team. The ruling said that full scholarship players can be considered employees and thus have the right to form a union.

The amendment was among dozens made to the bill.

The Republican-dominated committee removed a provision to require electronic registration for unemployment compensation benefits, and it sought to penalize counties who don't follow state procedures for providing absentee ballots.